This invention relates to an animal feeder of the type in which the animal feeds upon demand by controlling the feed delivered to the feed area.
The prior art reveals numerous designs of animal feeders of the animal-actuated type. The conventional feeder of this type has a storage hopper for storing a quantity of feed, the hopper being located above one or more feeding stations. Flow of the feed from the hopper to the feeding station is controlled by the animal through a mechanism positioned between the discharge opening of the hopper and the feeding station. Generally, there is an actuator that extends down into the feeding station, and when the acturator is moved by the animal, feed will drop by force of gravity through the discharge opening into the feeding station. Often, feeders of this type are also provided with a source of water that is supplied, usually on demand, to the feed station and when mixed with a feed forms a slurry. However, normally, the water supply system is independent of the mechanism supplying the dry feed, and the feed and water systems are also independently actuated by the animal.
Prior art feeders of this type have been plagued with problems of plugging at the discharge opening of the hopper because the dry feed will bridge the opening. Also, depending upon the coarseness of the feed, the feed mechanism may meter too much or not enough feed each time the animal actuates the mechanism. Attempts in the prior art at providing adjustability to compensate for the coarseness of the feed are sometimes complex and frequently do not work properly. Also, they require adjustment each time the type of feed is changed to a feed of different texture. In addition, prior art feeders of this type do not have a satisfactory adjustment that enables easy regulation of the feed flow rate.
There is therefore a need for an improved animal-actuated type feeding apparatus that will be substantially foolproof, easy to maintain and adjust and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.